Attack On Titan Season 2, Episode 10 – ‘Children’ Review

To be honest folks, I wasn’t quite sure what to think by the end of this episode. What feels like a tiny layer surrounding the mystery of the humans hiding as Titans has been lifted, but to be honest I was kind of expecting a bit more to be divulged. Not that this wasn’t a decent episode, it’s just by this point I’ve grown a little weary of being fed this information bit by bit. But let’s jump into this episode and hopefully you’ll get a sense of what I mean.

At the beginning of this episode, we follow a Scout search team sent by Hange following up on a hunch that she has about Conny’s village. As they arrive they find the village in utter shambles as Conny found it before. While searching the area for clues one of the scouts finds a picture of one of the families from the village. While searching they find the large, starved titan that Conny thought had spoken to him while trapped on top of his now destroyed home. Upon further inspection they find that the picture is of Conny’s mother and father. Looking closer at the picture they find that the photo of Conny’s mother looks eerily similar to the Titan that caved in the roof of Conny’s house.

Seeing the scouts in the distance, Reiner and Bertholdt agree that they have to move now instead of waiting for night like they had originally planned. Reiner leaps over to Eren to prepare to leave. Eren fights back defiantly, forcing Reiner to waste time by restraining him. Bertholdt lands beside Ymir, she questions why they are leaving so early. During a brief conversation between the two, Bertholdt asks her if she remembers the person that she ate when she became a human. After responding that she didn’t, he tells her that it’s ok and that he and Reiner didn’t remember at first either. Then interestingly enough, Bertholdt mentions that Eren doesn’t seem to remember either. What the hell could he be implying?? From Eren’s perspective, we learn that Ymir has been living as a Titan for 60 years right before he passes out. With Eren restrained, they all flee from the tree tops with the Scouts close behind. While fleeing, Ymir finally realizes that the scouts are pursuing them to rescue both her and Eren. She also figures that if the scouts had come for them, than surely Christa would be with them close by.

After the break in the episode, we get a glimpse of Ymir’s past life, as well as how she seems to have attained her Titan powers. While this is all fine, it really makes you lose the sense of how high the stakes are at this point. Returning back to the present Ymir realizes that no one else understands her but Christa. Knowing that Christa holds some importance to the two, she threatens that if they don’t stop to get her now, that she would willingly threaten their escape plans by transforming into her Titan form. She tells them that it’s now or never if they are going to get Christa.

Mikasa and Armin, with the rest of the large squad of scouts that set out to rescue Eren and Ymir rush forward towards the forest. Mikasa and Armin both see a flash of light. Armin shouts that it’s the light that can usually be seen during someone’s transformation into a Titan. Erwin, Leader of the Scout Regimen orders for his troops to get into formation and make rescuing their comrades and retreating top priority. High in the trees, Conny and another of the scouts spots Titan Ymir by herself in the trees. Before the scout attempts to attack her, Conny warns him that it’s only Ymir in her Titan form. As the rest of the groups catches up to them, Conny questions where Reiner, Bertholdt, and Eren are. She ignores them completely while surveying the area. Armin instantly finds something fishy about this situation. As Christa emerges from the trees screaming out to Ymir, Ymir leaps at her and catcher Christa in her mouth. Armin, Mikasa and the group look on in utter disbelief briefly, right before setting out after her for answers and hopefully their lost comrades.

With Ymir in sight and heading their way, Reiner leaps out, transforming into the armored Titan and immediately breaks into a sprint. Bertholdt, with Eren in possession uses his ODM gear to land on Reiner’s shoulder. Ymir lands on Reiner’s other shoulder as they all get away, just as Mikasa and the group lay eyes on them already escaping. Hannes orders them to get on their horses and continue pursuit, vowing that they will get him back even if it costs him his life.

Attack On Titan Season 2, Episode 10 - Children Review

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Pros

We get a better understanding of Ymir's character.

More questions arise surrounding Reiner and Bertholdt's past, as well as Eren's.

Why is Christa so damn important?

Cons

Flashback sequence really puts on the brakes in terms of story pacing.

Once again, a very dialogue heavy episode up until the last 2-3 minutes.